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CEO Asthma Australia Kate Miranda thanked the Prime Minister, the Health Minister Mark Butler and the Australian Government for reforms that are making it easier for people with asthma to get the care they need. Changes such as 60-day prescribing, lower PBS medicine co-payments and the continued expansion of Urgent Care Clinics are helping to improve affordability, continuity of treatment and timely access to support.
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| L-R: CEO Asthma Australia Kate Miranda and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Kate Miranda and Health Minister Hon Mark Butler MP. CEO Asthma Australia Kate Miranda and Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White MP | ||
These reforms make a real difference to everyday asthma management. By reducing the cost of preventer medicines and making care easier to access, they help people stay on their treatment, lower the risk of avoidable flare-ups and ease pressure on GP clinics and hospital emergency departments. With asthma now one of the most costly chronic conditions managed in primary care, policies that support prevention, affordability and early intervention are essential.
Kate also met with Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White MP at Parliament House in Canberra to discuss the national impact of asthma and the actions needed to strengthen prevention and care across Australia.
The conversation focused on key priorities, including:
- the disproportionate burden of asthma on women, who are dying from asthma at twice the rate of men,
- the increased burden of asthma on First Nations peoples and
- the growing risks posed by bushfire smoke as summer approaches.
Kate highlighted that asthma continues to affect children and young people most and shared the positive impact of our Asthma First Aid training in schools.
Asthma Australia looks forward to continuing to work with the Government to build a more accessible, equitable and prevention-focused health system for the 2.8 million Australians living with asthma.
